Students will:

1. Gain a framework for understanding the different ways that government policies affect individual/firm decisions and broader economic and societal outcomes;
2. Understand the process of how public policies are made within the structure of the executive and legislative branches of government;
3. Develop the skills and savvy to assess policy analyses;
4. Get an inside look into policy making, analysis, and evaluation from academic and public sector economists and other policy experts.

Who would benefit:

Instructors:

Kent Smetters, PhD, Faculty Director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model (PWBM) and the Boettner Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, is the Faculty Director of Wharton Public Policy Certificate Program and primary instructor.

Penn Wharton Budget Model experts, academic experts including University of Pennsylvania faculty, and policy experts will provide in-depth coverage of policy-specific material.

Costs:

The Certificate Program is offered free of charge.

Requirements for Completion of Certificate:

Participants must complete 6 online sessions over the course of 5 months, consisting of 3 required lecture sessions and 3 elective sessions.

Required Sessions:
Complete all three Required lecture sessions. Real-time attendance is required and sessions typically occur Fridays at noon.

• Course Welcome and Intro to an Economic Approach to Policy Analysis
• An Insider View of Policymaking
• How Do Economists Predict the Economic Effects of Policies?

Elective sessions:
Complete 3 sessions, including at least 2 "Hot Topic" sessions and no more than 1 pre-recorded session. Real-time attendance is required for "Hot Topic" sessions, and sessions typically occur Fridays at noon. Participants are encouraged to attend as many "Hot Topic" sessions and view as many pre-recorded sessions as possible to maximize learning.

Sample of possible "Hot Topic" sessions

• Antitrust Policy
• Immigration Policy
• Taxation Policy
• Energy and Environmental Policy
• Prescription Drug Policy
• Student Loan Debt Policy

Sample of possible pre-recorded sessions
• Economic Analysis of Infrastructure Proposals
• An Introduction to Social Security, its Future, and Potential Reforms
• Integrated Economic Analysis of Healthcare Policy
• Housing and Urban Policy
• Interpreting and Using Essential Economic Data

Participants who complete the Certificate Program requirements will receive an electronic certificate of completion, which can be added to their LinkedIn profile.

Note: The Wharton Public Policy Certificate Program is in compliance with Senate Ethics guidelines as "training in the interest of the Senate." Certificate Program sessions are in compliance with House Ethics guidelines as an "educational event".

Please complete the information request form and we will notify you when applications are open for the next cohort.
Admissions preference will be given to Congressional staffers and other public policy professionals.